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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · bay · perch · net · hand · bank · ruler · tear

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bank — of a river
  4. net — for catching
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. net — after costs
  8. bank — for money
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. hand — help
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. net — in sport
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mate — a friend
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com